Dehydrator



H. C. EDDY Dec. 29, 1931.

DEHYDRATOR Filed July 11, 1927 Patented Dec. 29, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAROLD G. EDDY, 0F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR Td PETROLEUM RECTIF'Y- ING COMPANY 01-" CALIFORNIA, OF LOS CALIFORNIA Application filed July 11,

My invention relates to apparatus for separating the phases of an emulsion, and it has a particular use in the oil producing industry. In the following description the invention will be presented in a form of apparatus for use in the oil producing industry. It should be understood, however, that 1 do not intend to limit the invention to that particular art.

Oil very often becomes associated. with water particles and a petroleum emulsion is formed. Before petroleum is commercially valuable, the water content must be reduced to at least less than two'per cent. It is ordinary practice to pass petroleum emulsion through a dehydrator consisting of a pair of electrodes between which an electric field is established. The emulsion passes through this electric field wherein the water particles are agglomerated into masses which are of sutficient sizeto precipitate from the oil under the influence of gravity. A common form of dehydrator has a pair of cone electrodes,

' one placed above the other in a tank. The

emulsion is usually introduced into the treating space between the electrodes at the central part. \Vhen using dehydrators of this character on emulsions containing gas, a gas pocket is formed at the central part of the treating space which tends to float the upper electrode away from the lower one, and consequently interferring with the proper action of the dehydrator.

It is an object of this invention to provide a treater in which no gas pocket willform in the treating space.

A further object of the invention is to provide a treater in which there will be a dual flow of emulsion through the electric field. i

Further objects and advantages of the invention will-be made manifest hereinafter.

Referring to the drawings in which I i1- lustrate a preferred form of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross-section.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal cross-section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

The form of the invention shown in the drawings has a tank 11 in the lower part'of which a lower or grounded electrode 12is ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF DEHYDRATOR 1927. Serial No. 204,717.

supported. The electrode 12 consists of a primary frusto-conical member 13 which is supported by the tank 11 by suitable brackets 15, there being an annular space 16 between the tank and the primaryme'mber- 13. The

upper and inner part of the primary member 13 is in the form of a fiat plate 17. Supported above the primary member 13 is a secondary conical member 18 which comprises a part of the lower electrode 12. The secondary member 18 has a. fiat .wall 20 which extends parallel to and above the wall 17 of the primary member 13 so as to provide a passage 21. The outer and lower edge 23 of the secondary member 18 projects around the upper part 24 of the primary member 13, thus forming a downward directed and outward directed annular mouth 25. Connected to the passage 21 is an emulsion supply pipe 27 which extends to the interior of the tank 11 through the wall thereof, shown.

Supported above the lower electrode 12 is an upper live electrode 29 which is conical. as illustrated. The upper electrode 29 is of smaller diameter than the tank 11 so that an annular space 30 is formed therearound. The upper electrode 29 has a central opening 31. Projecting downward from the lower face of this upper electrode 29 are annular The lower and upper electrodes 12 and 29 cooperate to provide a treating space. into which emulsion to be treated is passed.

The upper electrode 29 is supported by a central rod 36, the lower end of which is connected to wires 37 attached to the upper electrode 29, and the upper end of which is connected to an insulator 38. The insulator .38 is connected to a member +10 which is attached to a reciproeator 41, a part of which extends into a dome 42 of the, tank 11. \Vhen the reciproeator is operated, the upper electrode 29 is moved from full line position into tI'he position indicated by dotted lines 43 of in electric field is set up in the treating space 35 by means of an electric source such as the transformer 45 shown in Fig. 1. One side of a secondary 46 of this transformer 45 is connected by a conductor {17 to the tank 11 to which the lower electrode 12 is grounded, and the other side of which is connected by a conductor 48 which passes through an insulation bushing 49 of the tank 11 to the rod 36, thus being connected to the upper electrode 29.

The operation of the invention is as fol-- lows:

Emulsion to be treated is passed through the emulsion inlet pipe 27 to the passage 21. The emulsion passes outward through the passage 21 and will flow through the annular mouth 25 into the treating space 35 where an electric field is set up by the action of the transformer 45. The emulsion upon being introduced into tile treating space 35 tends to divide and passes in two directions, one part of the emulsion will pass downward alongthe surface of the lower electrode 12 as indicated by arrows 50, and part of the emulsion will pass upward along the surface of the lower electrode 12 as indicated by arrows 51. The emulsion which passes downward is subjected to the action of the electric field so that the water particles are coalesced. The water particles maydrop downward through the space 16 around the lower electrode as indicated by arrows 53, and the free oil will pass upward through the space 30 around the upper electrode-29 as indicated by arrows 54. The emulsion which asses upward in the treating space 35 is subjected to the action of the electric field so that the water particles are coalesced and will separate from the oil. The water particles drop onto the surface of the lower electrode 12 and pass downward therealong, finally dropping through the space 16. The oil of the emulsion passes upward through the central opening of the upper electrode 29, as indicated by arrows 55. During this treating action the upper electrode 29 is reci rocated between the two positions indicate in Fig. 1. This action prevents a chainin u of the water particles in the electricel and changes the intensit of the field since the intensity of the field varies inversely with the distance between the electrodes. The reciprocating of the upper electrode surges oil into and from the treatin space through the central 0 ening 31 an a so causes a circulation 0 oil through the upper part of the treating space 35 above the emulsion whichassists in preventing short-circuiting and furthermore assets in drawing part of the emulsion to be treated upward throu h the treating space.

In the fore oing escription it will be seen in view 0 the fact that the central part of the upper electrode 29 is open, it is impossible for a gas pocket to form and there will, therefore, be no interference in this respect. By forming the annular mouth sov that it is positioned half way between the inner and outer parts of the treating space it is assured that the emulsion will receive sufiicient treating action to coalesce the water particles.

I claim as my invention:

1. A treater for breaking down emulsion, comprising: a tank havin outlet means; a lower electrode in said tan said lower electrod having an annular mouth; an upper electrode in said tank, there being a treating space between said electrodes and there being a space in said tank around said upper electrode, said upper electrode having a central opening; means for setting up an electric field in said treating space; means for delivering emulsion to said annular mouth; and means for reciprocating said upper electrode.

2. A treater for breaking down emulsion, comprising: a tank having outlet means; a lower electrode in said tank, said lower electrode having an outward directed annular mouth; an upper electrode in said tank, there being a treating space between said electrodes and there being a s ace in said tank around said upper electrode, said upper electrode having a central opening; means for setting up an electric field in said treating space; and means for delivering emulsion to said annular mouth.

3. A treater for breaking down emulsion, comprising: a tank having outlet means; a lower electrode in said tank, said lower electrode having an outward directed annular mouth; an upper electrode in said tank, there being a treating space between said electrodes and there being a s ace in said tank around said upper electro c, said upper electrode having a central opening; means for setting up an electric field in said treatin space; means for delivering emulsion to sald annular mouth; and means for reciprocating said upper electrode.

4. In a dehydrator, the combination of: a conical primary electrode comprising primary and secondary members spaced so as to form a passage therebetween, said members overlapping to form an annular mouth communicating with said passage; a conical secondary electrode coo crating with said rimary electrode to defi iie a treating space into which said mouth opens; and means for supplying fluid to said passage.

5. In a deh drator, the combination of: a lower electro e com rising primary and secondary members de nin an annular mouth, said primary member ein frusto-conical and said secondary member ing conical; a frusto-conical upper electrode spaced above said lower electrode, said upper electrode having a central openin therein; means for establlshing a potentia difference between said lowergand upper electrodes; and means for delivering emulsion to said annular mouth.

6. In an electric treater, the combination of: a lower electrode including an annular mouth; an upper electrode cooperating with said lower electrode in defining a treating space on a central portion of which said annula'r mouth opens, said upper electrode having a central opening of much smaller diameter than said. annular mouth whereby fluid introduced through said annular mouth'flows through said treating space in two directions; means for establishing. a potential difference between said lower and upper electrodes; and means for delivering fluid to said annular mouth.

7 In an electric treater the combination of: a lower conical electrode including an annular mouth; an upper conical electrode cooperating with said lower electrode in defining a treating space on which said annular mouth opens, said upper electrode hav- 4 ing a central opening of much smaller diameter than said annular mouth whereby fluid introduced through said annular mouth flows through a portion of said treating space be fore passing through said central opening; meansfor establishing an electric field in said treating space; and means "for deliverf ing fluid to said annular mouth.

7 8. In an electric treater, the "combination of: a primary electrode; a secondary electrode providing a central opening communieating with a treating space between said electrodes, said electrodes being submerged in a fluid; and means forrec'iprocating said secondary electrode whereb said fluid may freely surge into and out 0 said treating space v through said opening. 35

9. In an electric treater, the combination of: a primary electrode; a secondary electrode providing a central opening communicating with a treating space between said electrodes, said electrodes being ondary electrode whereby said uid may freely surge into and from said treating space through said central opening; and means for introducing the fluid to be treated into said treating space at a section between said central opening and the outer edge of said secondary electrode. p

' In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 1st day of July, 1927.

. HAROLD C. EDDY.

submerged m a fluid; means for reciprocatln said sec- 

